


Now or Never

by autisticgansey



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Bi Reggie but it isn't really mentioned, Coming Out, Gay Alex, M/M, also there's like a tiny amount of underage drinking, pan luke, the guys are all sixteen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-18
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-08 00:41:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26526877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/autisticgansey/pseuds/autisticgansey
Summary: In which Alex comes to a realisation.
Relationships: Alex/Luke Patterson
Comments: 8
Kudos: 207





	Now or Never

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, this is the first fic I've ever written in English and also the first thing I've written after years of not writing anything in general, so please don't be too hard on me lol. Constructive criticism is appreciated :)  
> Oh and you can follow me on twitter @sunsetghosts if you want!

**Los Angeles, 1994.**

The lights on sunset boulevard shone brightly. Alex had no idea why he had said yes when his friends—and bandmates—had asked him to go out with them to a party.

He knew damn well that his parents would get mad at him for going out on a school night, and to a party of all things? Hell would break loose. But all of that didn't matter, he told himself, because they weren't here right now; he was, and his friends always told him to live more in the moment, so that was exactly what he would do.

Maybe he could find himself a cute girl. Or- No. He was not going there tonight. That was something for another day.

As he and his friends were let in by someone he didn't know, he tried to let his worries slide off his shoulders. It didn't really work though, it felt like the evening held some surprises for him. He shrugged the feeling off and grabbed a red solo cup filled with beer. If he was gonna do this he was gonna do it right. 

“Damn, Alex drinking alcohol? Wouldn't have expected that.” Reggie said. 

“Yeah, well, we're here now anyway so why the hell not.” Alex replied. 

“I think it's cool you're finally letting loose for once dude, you deserve to have some fun. You're always wound up so tight.” Bobby chimed in.

“Yeah, I guess you're right. Hey where's Luke? I haven't seen him in a bit.”

“Pretty sure he went off with some girl.”

“Oh.” Alex could feel his heart sinking in his chest. Where the hell did that come from?

“Well, whatever, I think I'm gonna dance guys, see ya later.”

After he had been dancing for a while Alex found his thoughts drifting back to Luke. This was odd, it certainly wasn't anything he'd ever felt before. 

“Hey, Alex!”

‘Speak of the devil’, Alex thought. There was Luke, calling his name. As he was walking towards Luke he asked him what was up. 

“There's a bunch of people playing spin the bottle over there, wanna play?”

“Sure, why the hell not.” Not like he had anything better to do. As he got to the circle of teenagers and sat down he noticed that Reggie and Bobby were already there. “Hey guys, long time no see. What have you been up to?”

Reggie, half whispering, said: “Bobby's been trying to hook up with this chick and I've just been looking around a bit, dancing a little, trying to see if there's anyone I'm interested in, I don't know.”

“Shh dude, she can hear you!” Bobby said with an angry look towards Reggie. 

Reggie shrugged. “Well anyway, Bobby's new girl wanted to do the whole spin the bottle thing so we figured we'd come with. And you, did you see anyone you like?” Reggie winked. 

“I- No. No one I'm interested in.”

“Really? But you've been acting weird ever since we got here. You sure it's not about a girl?”

“'I'm sure Reg.”

“'Well okay then.”

“Hey, let's get this party started! Who wants to play spin the bottle guys?” Said one of the hosts. A loud murmur of voices sounded.

“Who wants to go first?”

Some girl Alex had never seen before volunteered and started off the round. The bottle fell on a classmate of Alex's and they got straight to making out.

“Gee, get a room guys.” The rest of the group said, giggling. The couple moved upstairs and then all of a sudden it was onto the next round. 

“Alright who wants to go next? How about you, blonde kid?”

“I'd really rather not, can't someone else go?” Alex said. 

“No, come on dude, live a little! You're next. Spin the bottle!”

“Alright then.” Alex sighed. 'Don't overthink it,’ he told himself. ‘You've kissed girls before, you'll be fine.’ And he went to spin the bottle. It spun and it spum and it spun until it ended up landing on no one else than… Luke. The crowd hooted. He could discern Reggie and Bobby among them. There was that sinking feeling again. What _was_ that?

“Well, let's get this over with.” Luke said, getting up from across the room as he smiled down at Alex.

“So um...how does this work?” Alex asked.

“I guess you're supposed to kiss me.” Luke teased. 

“Yeah no I-I know that, it's just a little awkward.” Alex said. As he could feel the whole room staring at him he felt himself tensing up and his hands started to get clammy. 

“Come on guys, we don't have all day!” Someone from the crowd shouted. 

“Yeah okay.” Alex said. ‘Now or never’, he told himself, and he started to lean in. He closed his eyes and softly touched Luke's lips. And _wow._ Everything he had ever been told about kissing suddenly fell into place. Apparently it's not supposed to feel uncomfortable. You're not supposed to wish it was over. It felt like he could breathe for the first time in his life. The whole room went quiet, it was as if he and Luke were the only people on the planet. But of course it couldn't last forever. Luke pulled away from Alex, smiling. There was a glimmer in his eye that wasn't there before. 

“And, how was it?” Luke asked.

“You know...you're not as bad a kisser as I expected.” Alex replied.

“Wow, we certainly are generous today, huh, Alex?”

“Yeah. Now if you don't mind I'm gonna go get me some fresh air.” Alex couldn’t stand the way everyone was looking at him, as if he was hiding something. Of course, he was. He realized that now, but no one needed to know that. 

“Hey Alex, wait up!”

Alex looked behind him to see Reggie standing there. “Hey.”

“Hey. Why'd you run out of there so quickly? What's up?”

“Nothing, I'm fine.”

“Alex, I have known you for years. I know when something's wrong. Is it the kissing thing? I know you've never kissed a guy before, that must have been weird.”

“Yeah, weird…”

“Okay now you _definitely_ gotta tell me what's up! What's that tone in your voice?”

“I don't know...I'm probably just imagining things.”

“Alex, you know you can tell me anything right?”

“Yeah, this just- I don't really know what to say?”

“Well, it has to do with the kissing thing right?”

“Yeah, maybe.”

“Okay so. What was it about it that made you act so weird?”

“Well, it's just...I didn't hate it? No actually, it felt better than with any girl I've ever kissed.”

“Alex…”

“Yeah, I know. How am I gonna tell my parents?” 

“No, Alex, look.” Reggie said, pointing to some space behind Alex.

When Alex looked at him he saw that Luke was standing there, with his mouth agape. “Shit.”

“Well, I'll leave you guys to it, love you both bye-bye!” Reggie said as he sped inside, probably to avoid the awkwardness that was about to ensue. 

“So... how much of that did you hear?”

“Everything.”

“Well, then I guess you figured it out?”

“Figured what out?” Luke looked genuinely confused. 

“That I'm, you know…”

Luke smiled softly at him and said: “Alex, you know I'm not gonna force you to do or say anything you're not ready for right? Me overhearing that conversation you had with Reggie means nothing.”

Alex looked at him, knowing he could trust Luke with his life, and finally said the words he'd been repressing all his life. “I'm gay.” And _god_ , it felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. 

“I'm so proud of you.” Luke said, pulling Alex into a big hug. “And while we're on the topic, I don't think I'm totally straight either. I mean, I definitely like girls, but what I just felt in there was...” 

Alex could feel gears turning in his head. Luke wasn't straight. Could that mean that the thing he felt in there wasn't just him? “What is it that you felt then?”

“Well, I don't know? What is it _you_ felt?”

The boys were slowly moving closer and closer together again, noses almost touching. 

“I felt... this.”

And then they were kissing again, and it was just as amazing as the first time, and oh my god, how had Alex ever thought he was straight?

What the two didn't notice was Reggie and Bobby sneaking up to them until they were suddenly rudely interrupted by a high-pitched screeching sound. It was Reggie, of course, screaming: “Oh my god guys you are so cute, I’m so happy for you!' 

Meanwhile, Bobby was sheepishly standing off to the side, but he did give them a thumbs up. 

Shortly after that, Alex and Luke started dating, but it didn't take long for them to realize they weren't right for each other. And there’s also the fact that Luke may have started liking someone else… but that’s a story for another time. They ended on good terms and stayed friends.

**_FIN._ **


End file.
